Chloe Adams
The process of candle-making has evolved significantly over the centuries, from the Ancient Egyptians' use of rushlights without wicks to the present day, where candles are primarily made from paraffin wax. During colonial times, people had to choose between wax and tallow. Tallow candles, made from sheep or cow fat, were inexpensive and widely used, despite their unpleasant odour, uneven burn, and tendency to melt in summer. Beeswax was also used, though its expense restricted its use to churches and the wealthy. The development of spermaceti wax in the 18th century offered a brighter, odourless alternative to tallow, and the first standard candles were made from this substance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time Period | Colonial times (18th century) |
| Place | Colonial Williamsburg, America |
| Materials | Tallow (from sheep and cows), beeswax, whale fat, bayberry bush berries, spermaceti (from sperm whales) |
| Methods | Dipping or drawing wick in molten fat/wax, shaping by hand, pouring fat/wax onto wick, moulding |
| Wick Type | Braided cotton |
| Candle Types | Standard candles (made from spermaceti wax) |
| Use | Artificial light, religious ceremonies, daily tasks |
| Limitations | Expense, uneven burn, smoke, unpleasant odour, heat sensitivity |
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What You'll Learn
Colonial candles were made from tallow or beeswax
Beeswax was a byproduct of honey collection. It was collected after honey extraction and purified by boiling it in seawater several times. Beeswax burned cleanly and emitted a pleasant, sweet smell. Beeswax candles were widely used for church ceremonies and by the wealthy, as they were more expensive than tallow candles.
Colonial candles were made using a variety of methods. One technique involved dipping or drawing the wick in molten fat or wax repeatedly until the desired size was achieved. Another method involved building the candle by hand by rolling soft wax around a wick. Candlemakers could also pour fat or wax onto a wick to build up the candle. The use of moulds for candle-making was introduced in the 14th century.
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Tallow candles were cheap, but smelly and smoky
Tallow candles, made from the fat of cows and sheep, were the cheapest and most common candles used by colonial households in Europe and America. However, they had many drawbacks. Firstly, they produced a strong, unpleasant smell due to the glycerine they contained. The smell was so offensive that several European cities banned the manufacturing process by ordinance. Secondly, tallow candles burned unevenly and produced a smoky flame. They also melted easily in summer heat and required regular snuffing to remove the charred end of the wick.
Beeswax was a preferred alternative to tallow for candle-making, as it burned cleanly and emitted a pleasant, sweet smell. However, beeswax candles were much more expensive, so their use was generally restricted to churches and the homes of the wealthy.
In the 18th century, with the growth of the whaling industry, spermaceti—an oil derived from sperm whales—became widely used for candle-making. Spermaceti wax burned without producing a foul odour, and it produced a significantly brighter light. It was also harder than tallow or beeswax, so it didn't soften or bend in hot weather. Spermaceti candles became the first "standard candles".
Colonial women in America also made an important contribution to candlemaking by discovering that boiling the berries of bayberry bushes produced a sweet-smelling wax that burned cleanly. This provided another alternative to the smoky and smelly tallow candles.
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Spermaceti candles were brighter and odourless
The production of spermaceti candles dates back to the early 1700s. As the whaling industry expanded, particularly in the American colonies, spermaceti became an important resource. Spermaceti is an oil that comes from a cavity in the head of the sperm whale. To make spermaceti candles, the oil was first purified and then mixed with a small amount of oil and beeswax to create the candle wax.
Spermaceti candles were highly desirable because they burned brighter, produced less smoke, and were odourless. They were clean-burning and provided a brighter light than other candles available at the time. This made them ideal for use in lighthouses, as their bright, steady light improved visibility for ships at sea. They were also harder than tallow or beeswax candles, so they wouldn't melt or bend in the summer heat.
The quality and efficiency of spermaceti candles made them a popular choice for consumers. They were widely used in homes, churches, and public spaces throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. However, their popularity declined with the advent of alternative lighting technologies like kerosene lamps and gas lighting, as well as growing concerns for whale conservation.
Spermaceti candles played a significant role in the history of lighting, and their unique properties of brightness and odourlessness made them a sought-after commodity during colonial times.
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Beeswax burned cleanly and had a sweet smell
Beeswax was a byproduct of honey collection. It was collected after honey was extracted and purified by boiling it in seawater several times. Unlike animal-based tallow, beeswax burned cleanly and did not produce a smoky flame. It also emitted a sweet smell, as opposed to the foul, acrid odour of tallow. Beeswax candles were widely used for church ceremonies, but due to their high cost, only the wealthy could afford to burn them in their homes. Tallow candles, on the other hand, were inexpensive and readily available, as they were made from sheep or cow fat. However, they burned unevenly, produced a strong odour, and required frequent snuffing to remove the charred ends of the wick.
In the 18th century, with the growth of the whaling industry, spermaceti, an oil derived from sperm whales, became a popular alternative to beeswax and tallow. Spermaceti wax burned cleanly, without an unpleasant odour, and produced a brighter light. It was also harder, making it less likely to soften or bend in warm temperatures. The first "standard candles" were made from spermaceti wax.
In the 19th century, French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul discovered how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids, leading to the development of stearin wax, which burned cleanly and was durable. These candles remain popular in Europe today.
While the use of beeswax for candles dates back to ancient times, with evidence of its use by the Romans and Egyptians, it remained a luxury item due to its high cost. As such, it was primarily used by the upper classes and for special occasions, while tallow candles were the common household candle for the average person.
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Colonial women made sweet-smelling candles from bayberries
In colonial times, candle-making was an essential annual chore for all households, who usually made their own candles once a year. Colonial women made sweet-smelling candles from bayberries, which were native to the North American eastern seaboard and found throughout New England's Atlantic coast. The berries were coated in a waxy substance that could be extracted through boiling. The process was time-consuming and required large quantities of berries, but the resulting wax had a sweet scent and was used to make candles for special occasions.
Colonial women would collect bayberries in the late fall to make candles for the holiday season. They would remove the bulk of the leaves and twigs from the berries before adding them to a pot and covering them with water. The berries would then be boiled and simmered for around 20-30 minutes. After boiling, the berries would be poured through a cheesecloth to filter out the solids, and the remaining liquid would be allowed to cool. As the liquid cooled, the wax would rise to the top and harden, and it could then be easily removed.
To make bayberry candles, the wax was blended with beeswax, which helped to improve the texture of the final product. The soft bayberry wax candles did not keep well in hot weather. However, the sweet-smelling wax was highly valued, and the tradition of burning bayberry candles became associated with good fortune and abundance. It was believed that burning a bayberry candle on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve would bring luck and prosperity in the coming year.
The use of bayberries for candle-making was a distinctly American innovation, blending European candle-making traditions with the unique resources of the New World. The discovery of bayberry wax offered a practical alternative to tallow and beeswax, which were commonly used in Europe at the time. The development of bayberry candles in colonial times showcased the resourcefulness and ingenuity of early American colonists.
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Frequently asked questions
Candles in colonial times were made of tallow (animal fat) or beeswax. Tallow candles were made from the fat of cows or sheep and were inexpensive, but they burned unevenly, produced a foul odour, and required regular snuffing. Beeswax candles burned cleaner and emitted a pleasant smell, but they were expensive and therefore reserved for churches and the wealthy.
Tallow candles were made by dipping or drawing a wick in molten fat or wax repeatedly until the candle reached the desired size. They could also be made by pouring fat or wax onto a wick to build up the candle or by hand by rolling soft wax around a wick.
Beeswax was collected as a byproduct of honey collection and was then purified by boiling it in seawater several times. The process of making the candles was the same as that of tallow candles.
Yes, with the growth of the whaling industry in the 18th century, spermaceti (an oil from sperm whales) became a widely used substance for candle-making. Spermaceti wax burned cleanly, produced a brighter light, and was harder than tallow or beeswax, making it more durable in summer heat.
